Apparatus for and process of treating paraffine



(No Model.)

I. X. BYERLBY. APPARATU$ FOR AND PROCESS OF TREATING PA RAFFINBT Y No. 244,431. Patented July 19,1881.

J "H I H G L F W .M'

Mia eases. V ZZzz/eze'fazi l,

n PETERS. mung-1 m. Washington. 0.1.

- UNITED Y STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS XLBYERLEY, on CLEVELAND, oHIo.

APPARATUS FOR AND PROCESS OF TREATING PARAFFINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,431, dated July 19, 1881.

Application filed June 18,1881. (No'modeL) t 'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANoIs X. BYERLEY, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Apparatus for and Process of Treating Paraffine; and I do hereby declare that the following-is a full, clear, and complete description thereof.

The nature of my invention relates to a cer- I tain apparatus andtheproeessresultant there .irom relative to treating paraftine; audit-Iconsists, in part, of chillin g or freezing the oil in one section of the apparatus and then conveying the paraffinized chilled oil to a treating-chamber, in which a principal portion of the oil is separated from the wax by the gravity of its filtration and the remaining portion separated from the wax by means of a solvent, the solvent, with its oil, being separated and discharged into a receiver from one part of the apparatus and the free oil from another, while the paraffine wax is delivered separately. The whole operation may be continuous and the treatment of the paraffine in detail while in motion, and not in mass, as'in the ordinary mode.

With my'improvement the free oil may be either drawn off from the paraffine by means of a pump intoa vacuum or it may be allowed to filter or drain oif therefrom by its own gravity, and the solvent with its on in the same way.

The apparatus referredto. consists, in part, of a chamber for freezing the oil, from which it is taken by ascrew-conveyer to a percolator, in whichis a conveyer to transmit the paraftine .wax through the percolator to a discharge-' spout. -While the paraffine is in transit through the percolator the free oil passes off by its own gravity, the remainder being treated with a solvent and the oilseparated therefrom.

For a more full and clear description of the said apparatus and the process reference will be had to the following specification andto the annexed drawings, making part of the same, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figs. 2 and 3 are detached sections.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

In the ordinary mode of this art the oil is first frozen or chilled and then pressed. While in this condition the free oil is separated from the paraffiue, which is then placed in a vat or tub for the percolation of a solvent-hydrocarbon. This requires several distinct and separate operations, which are avoided with my improvement herein shown, and by the use of which time and labor are much reduced. The paraffinized oil is'first placed'in the refrigeratory receiver A, Fig. 1, closed at the ends, with the outlet B closed. In the bottom of the re ceiver is a. screw-conveyer, 0, attached to a shaft having suitable journal-bearin gs connected with the receiver. The shaft is provided with a driving-pulley, D, for rotating the conveyer by means of a belt. The receiver is supported by suitable frame-work in a position above the other parts of the apparatus, as seen in the drawings. The spout or outlet B opens directly into the percolator E through the hopper F, Figs. 1 and 2. In this percolator is a revolving conveyer, G, having its shaft journaled in boxes at the ends of the percolator. To the shaft is attached a pulley for operating the conveyer.

The case or shell of thepercolator is in two sections, I J, provided with flanges K K, by which the sections are secured together by means of bolts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The lower section is provided with an interior perforated lining or strainer, L, (indicated by the dotted line L, Fig.3,) which forms a cham ber or space, M M, between the perforated lining and the bottom and sides of the lower section, J, Fig. 2, and indicated by the dotted line L in Fig. 3. This space is divided into two parts, M and M, by the partition N, Fig. 2, fora purpose hereinafter shown. The entire apparatus is secured in position by suitable frame-work. The oil, after being placed in the freezing-receiver A, is then chilled or frozen by either surrounding the receiver with a jacket of easing so arranged as to allow of a freezing medium being admitted into a space between the jacket and receiver, or refrigeration may be introduced into the interior of thereceiver by means of pipes or their equivalents, connected with an ordinary artificial-ice machine, by which theoil in the receiver may be reduced to a frigid state through the pipes in the interior or by surrounding the receiver with the pipes for the same purpose.

The entire apparatus may be entirely surrounded by a freezing-atmosphere in a chamber for this purpose.

The methods of artificial freezing are so well known in the arts that a full description thereof need not be herein given.

After the paraffinized oil has been sufficiently frozen to crystallize or separate the paraffine from the oil the outlet or nozzle B is then opened and the conveyer set in motion, which, by its rotation, will carry the mass to the outlet, through which it passes to the hopper F into the percolator at the end.

In case the mass of oil in the receiver is frozen so hard as to adhere to the sides of the interior and pipes and arrest its descent, then it will be necessary to break up the mass and free it, that it may pass down upon the conveyor 0 and be carried along and discharged into the percolator. After the material has been received into the percolator the free oil percolates from the paraffine through the perforated bottom or strainer L, Fig. 2, into the chamber M, from which it is drawn off through the nozzle 1? by the pump 0, to which it is connected by a pipe, as seen in the drawings.

The oil may be drawn off through the nozzle by its own gravity or the drainage may be accelerated by a vacuum-receiver, in which case the pump 0 wouldnot be required, except for forming a vacuum. The free oil is about all drained off by the time the paraffine reaches the partition N, Fig. 2. It is then subjected to the action of a solvent, which passes into the percolator through the pipe Q. This solvent acts upon the paraffine in detail whileit is in motion by the action of the conveyer; hence the parafline in its passage through the percolator to the discharge-spout R is in constant agitation, being continually turned over in its longitudinal passage to the spout R, thus subjecting the para-fline upon all sides and in detail while in motion to the action of the solvent.

For the more effectual separation of the oil from the charge of paraffine, solvent is admitted into the charge through the pipe S, which materially facilitates the process of separation. To accelerate this object a pump, T, may be attached by a pipe-connection to the nozzle V, Figs. 1 and 2, which pump draws off the solvent from the chamber M as rapidly as it accumulates by percolating through the charge and perforated strainer L. The solvent is discharged from the pump into a receiver to be utilized, or it may pass into a receiver by its own gravity.

This process of treating paraffinized oil by freezing and then separating the oil from the paraffine by draining and by the action of solvents, as herein set forth, may be a continuous operation, as one receiver may be discharging its frigid mass into the percolator,

while another receiver may be prepared to take the place of the one which has discharged its contents into the percolator. This routine may be continued in connection with the process of operation of the percolator indefinitely, which is a distinguishing feature of my improvement, and which is done almost automatically, while the ordinary mode requires much manipulation in pressing the frigid mass and in the following operations of separating the oil from the parafiine.

The paraffine in the percolator may be treated as often as may be necessary to separate and purify it of the oil. To this end the percolator may be so extended in length as to admit of additional openings or pipes for the admission of the solvent for this purpose. The operation being conducted in a closed vessel, evaporation of the solvent is arrested by nonexposure to the air, which is different from the usual method, causing waste by evaporation.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described apparatus, consistin g of refrigerating-receiver A, provided with a rotative screw-conveyer arranged in relation to the percolator E, having a perforated lining, and a screw-conveyer above said lining, and a chamber or chambers, M M, below, in combination with one or more inlets for the ingress of the frigid mass and solvent, and one or more separate outlets for the oil, solvent, and parafline, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. In an apparatus for treating parafiine, a percolator consisting of a cylindrical case with closed ends, provided with an interior perforated lining, a rotating spiral conveyer, and one or more inlets for the admission of the paraffinized oil and solvent, in combination with the chambers M M, with outlets or spouts P U R, for separately delivering the free oil, solvent, and parafiine, substantially in the man ner described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The improved process of treating paraffine by one continuous operation, consistingiu reducing the paraffinized oil to a frigid mass in a receiver, and then discharging it into a percolator, and while therein and in motion subjecting the mass in detail to the action of a solvent for the separation of the oil from the parafiine during its passage through the said percolator, assisted in its separation by the action of a pump or vacuum for drawing off the free oil and solvent, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The process of separating the oil from paraffinized oil by the action of a solvent in dissolving out the oil from the parafiine in detail and while the same is in motion in its transit through the percolator, assisted by a vacuum or gravity in elimination of said oil at a point or points separate from the discharging parafline, substantially in the manner as described, and for the purpose specified.

5. The process of separating oil from paraffine, which consists in passing the chilled paryond the strainer to 1 a proper receiver, sub- 10 affinized foil over-ast-rainer and allowing the stantially as and. for thepurpose set forth. principal part of the oil to drain off in its pas- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in sage, and then while the drained material is presence of two witnesses. still in motion over the strainer subjecting it 5 to the action of a solvent'in detail, for the pur- FRANCIS BYEBLEY' pose of dissolving out theremainingoil,.which, Witnesses: with the solvent, passes through the strainer, J. H. BURRIDGE, the purified 'paraffine being delivered be- G. E. MORGAN. 

